Frozen pipes, attic lines and supply failures
Frozen & Burst Pipe Cleanup in Frisco, TX
Shut off the water at the main, stay away from anything electrical, then call. You are connected with an independent restoration company that dries ceilings, walls and floors after a pipe lets go.
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- Independent local contractors
- Homes, rentals and businesses
In North Texas the pipes are in the attic, and the attic gets cold
Frisco houses were built for heat, not cold. Supply lines run through unconditioned attics, hose bibs and pool equipment sit outside, and a hard freeze finds every line that isn't insulated. The February 2021 freeze showed what that looks like at scale: pipes split while frozen, then flooded ceilings and walls once the thaw came and the water started moving again.
Freezes aren't the only cause. PEX fittings, copper joints, washing machine hoses, toilet supply lines and refrigerator lines fail in any weather, and on a two-storey slab home the water travels down through the ceiling and across the floor below. A plumber fixes the pipe. A restoration contractor deals with the water it left behind, and the two jobs can usually run at the same time.
Right now
What to do first
- Close the main shutoff, usually in a box near the street or at the meter, or the valve under the fixture if the leak is local.
- Open a faucet at the lowest point of the house to drain the lines and take pressure off the break.
- If water is coming through a ceiling light or near outlets, switch off that circuit at the panel if the panel is dry.
- If a pipe is frozen but not yet burst, open the cabinet doors, keep the heat on and let faucets trickle. Don't use an open flame on a pipe.
- Photograph the broken part and the wet areas before anything is thrown away, then call a plumber for the pipe.
What burst pipe cleanup involves
What a restoration contractor should do, so you know what to expect and what to ask.
Finding concealed moisture
Water from a line in the attic soaks the insulation and ceiling drywall long before a stain shows downstairs. Moisture meters and sometimes thermal imaging show how far it went.
Water extraction
Standing water is pulled out of every room it reached, upstairs and down, not only the one under the leak.
Opening ceilings and walls where needed
Sagging ceiling drywall is removed before it falls. In walls, a strip along the bottom or drilled holes let air reach the cavity; cutting more than that should be explained first.
Insulation and framing
Wet blown-in or batt insulation in the attic usually has to come out so the joists and decking can dry. Dry insulation that stays wet is how mold gets into an attic.
Floors and cabinets
Water slips under vinyl plank, laminate and wood and into sink bases and toe kicks. Some floors dry in place; swollen ones are lifted.
Repair coordination
After drying you will need a plumber, drywall, paint and perhaps flooring work. The contractor should tell you what is left and who does it.
How it works
From your call to a dry home
We don't run our own crews. When you call or send the form, we connect you with an independent local restoration company that serves your area. They inspect, give you the estimate and do the work.
- 1
Stop the water
Close the main or the fixture valve. Arrange a plumber for the pipe if it isn't fixed yet.
- 2
Call or request a call back
We connect you with an independent restoration company that covers your address.
- 3
Inspection, extraction and drying
The contractor maps the wet areas, removes water and wet insulation, and sets up drying equipment.
- 4
Readings and repairs
Drying continues until the readings are dry. Then repairs are scoped.
Costs
What frozen & burst pipe cleanup typically costs
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Small leak, one area | $1,000 – $3,000 | How long it ran, floor type |
| Ceiling, wall and floor drying | $2,500 – $7,000 | Ceiling drywall and insulation removed, cabinets, two floors |
| Multi-room water damage after a freeze | $5,000 – $15,000+ | Rooms affected, materials removed, days of drying |
These are planning ranges for typical jobs, not quotes or surveyed local averages. The contractor prices your job after an inspection. Plumbing, roofing and rebuilding are usually extra.
Questions
Frozen & Burst Pipe Cleanup: common questions
Who do I call first, a plumber or a restoration company?
Shut off the water yourself if you can, then call both. The plumber fixes the pipe and must hold a TSBPE licence; the restoration company removes the water and dries the structure. Drying usually shouldn't wait for the repair.
Is a burst pipe covered by homeowners insurance?
Many Texas policies cover sudden, accidental water damage from a burst pipe, but not the pipe itself and not slow leaks that went on for weeks. Some policies ask you to have kept the heat on during a freeze. Read your policy and call your insurer early.
How do I stop pipes freezing next winter?
Insulate exposed attic lines and hose bibs, disconnect garden hoses, know where your main shutoff is, and when a hard freeze is forecast keep the heat on, open cabinet doors under sinks and let a faucet drip. Your plumber can tell you which lines are most exposed.
Related
Other water damage help
Water Heater Leak Cleanup
A failed tank in the attic drains straight into the ceiling below. Spot it early and get the ceiling dried.
Learn moreStructural Drying
Air movers and dehumidifiers, moisture readings every day, and a dry standard before anything is rebuilt.
Learn moreWater Damage Restoration
Water out, walls and floors dried until the meter says dry, and a clear list of what has to be replaced.
Learn moreAlso serving nearby towns
Besides Frisco itself, calls are taken from these neighboring towns.
Water damage right now?
Talk to a restoration contractor today
Call and you are connected to an independent restoration contractor who serves Frisco, Little Elm and Prosper. Or leave your number and they call you back.